Repairing/rehabing riding lawn mowers

[sortadelux]

I'm kinda lost on this one. I'm currently living in a home owned by my inlaws with a HUGE lawn. They have two riding mowers but untill today neither had run in two years (one has not run in a decade.) I got the newer one running today, its an early 90's Murray 38" but it wont actually drive. I know nothing about these so I was hoping some one here does. I replaced the battery, cleaned the floats, replaced the plugs and it runs now. The deck has full range of movement and the blades spin. When up on the jack the rear tires spin in all 5 speeds with any load on them at all they stop. Do these have a clutch system or some belt drive that I need to look at? We just got dumped on with rain so I tarped it and came back inside and did not have time to take it apart. Does any body have any suggestions on where to start?

TIA

[spockcat]

Can you get a model number off the machine. Then someone could probably look up a parts diagram.

[barry2952]

Photos of the controls might help, too. My '86 Honda HT3813 tractor has a clutch device the requires some time to spool up and catch.

[sortadelux]

I CANT BELIEVE I FIXED IT WITH OUT BREAKING IT EVEN MORE! It turns out both the axel and wheel are slotted and there is a removable aluminum block that slides into the combined goove and acts as a spline. That block was missing from one side so I ran to my local hobby shop and picked up some aluminum square bar that fit perfectly!

This is the first time I've mowed with some thing I dont have to push and damn was it nice. Now I just have to perfect my path/pattern. I have to many out buildings and trees in my yard!

[spockcat]

[barry2952]

That's called a "key" and it must be sacrificial, because aluminum is so soft. I'm thinking you may find it broke for a reason, like a wheel bearing seizing up that would offer rolling resistance. It could have sheared while pulling something, too.

You might want to consider checking to see if what you're using is the right material. Not all aluminum is the same.

[sortadelux]

Good call. I'll take a look at an approved replacement. Next up will be looking at possibly restoring the late 60's Sears tractor.

[Tornado2dr]

Sorry to bump this, but where do you all find parts for your small motor stuff?

I'd swear someone on here pointed me to a johns engines dot com, but I can't find it and some of the stuff on google looks less than legit.

Any help? My landscape shop is typically closed on Sundays and hd sucks for small engine parts/ tuneup items.

[gti2.0016v]

Sorry to bump this, but where do you all find parts for your small motor stuff?

I'd swear someone on here pointed me to a johns engines dot com, but I can't find it and some of the stuff on google looks less than legit.

Any help? My landscape shop is typically closed on Sundays and hd sucks for small engine parts/ tuneup items.

I think you're thinking of [URL="http://www.jackssmallengines.com/[/URL]

They have a pretty good lookup, comparable to "partsmart" that i use at work.

[unimogken]

Yes that is the one!
Jacks is my favorite go to shop for my garden tool maintenance.

They also have exploded diagrams and make it easy to locate the right parts.

[Tornado2dr]

Thanks!

[Cooper]

Here's another for Jack's.